Again, e-hailing drivers under the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON), have threatened to dump the big ride-sharing companies (Bolt, Uber and inDrive) in favour of local alternatives.
This was disclosed in a statement by the chairman of the Lagos chapter of the union, Comrade Jaiyesimi Azeez.
This comes in the wake of a three-day strike in both Ogun and Lagos states, which the chairman described as successful. Despite the impact, there has been no official reach-out from the three major ride-share companies, and none of the drivers’ demands has been fulfilled.
See also: Fuel price hike: Nigerian drivers groan as Uber, others raise fares in Australia, New Zealand
Describing their silence as a “direct provocation”, Comrade Azeez said it is both alarming and unacceptable that, despite the scale and impact of the industrial action, the app companies have maintained complete silence.
This calculated lack of response, according to the chairman, reflects a troubling pattern of disregard for the very drivers who power their platforms and generate their profits.
“There comes a point where continued silence from stakeholders becomes a direct provocation. As a Union, we are now compelled to take decisive and forward-looking action to salvage the situation and protect drivers welfare. Let it be clear that before the end of next week if, our plights are not looked into and resolved completely, we will actively mobilize drivers to transition toward any alternative platforms that are willing to engage, listen, and implement driver-centered policies,” the statement reads.
The chairman further noted that drivers require a platform that is willing to accommodate fair operational standards while respecting the economic realities faced by drivers.
He added that drivers would stick with the platform until the government puts in place regulations that empower drivers to collectively fix a minimum operation standard for the sector.
“The advantages of this shift are clear and strategic: A fair and transparent fare system that reflects real market conditions. Significantly reduced commission structures. Restoration of driver dignity through negotiation power and autonomy. And a platform model built on partnership, not exploitation. We have spoken through protest. We are now acting through direction,” the chairman said.
He said that the 3-day warning strike was not merely a protest. Rather it was a transition away from exploitation toward sustainability and a transition from neglect to accountability. He, therefore, urged all drivers to remain united, disciplined, and focused as division has long been a tool used against them.
He also offered the major app companies as well as governments and regulators a final window for meaningful engagement, noting that the digital transport sector cannot continue to operate without fairness, oversight, and protection for its workforce.
Uber, Bolt drivers’ 3-day strike
On Monday, drivers operating on the Uber, Bolt and inDrive platforms shut down their apps in protest against low fares offered on the platforms. This was in the wake of a devastating global spike in fuel prices, rising by nearly 60 per cent in Nigeria.
Recapping the reasons for the strike, the chairman stated that fares remain unreasonably low, making it practically impossible for drivers to operate sustainably in the face of rising fuel prices, inflation, and vehicle maintenance costs. He also said that commission rates remain excessively high and exploitative, leaving drivers with a shrinking share of their own labour.
Another reason is the lack of proper profiling of passengers, which has led to the killing of drivers and the theft of vehicles. Then there is the lack of collective bargaining, and drivers, as the owners of their businesses, deserve the right to be at the negotiation table.
As such, drivers are making strategic demands which include fair and transparent fare systems that reflect real market conditions. They are also demanding a significant reduction in commission structures, the restoration of driver dignity through negotiation power and autonomy, and a platform model built on partnership, not exploitation.
“This strike was not an act of defiance for its own sake, it was a necessary response to sustained economic injustice and systemic neglect by ride-hailing application companies such as Bolt, Uber and inDrive operating within our transport ecosystem,” the chairman said.
See also: Uber, Bolt drivers in Benin to embark on 7 days strike over ‘unsustainable’ income
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